1,000 feared lost on doomed Egyptian ferry
(AP)
Updated: 2006-02-04 20:50

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all Egyptians and citizens of other nations who suffered losses in this terrible accident," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said in Texas.

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday sent separate messages of condolences to the leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Nine wounded survivors in the accident returned to Hong Kong Saturday afternoon, and will be sent directly to a hospital for medical checkups, according to Xinhua.

The agent for the ship in Saudi Arabia, Farid al-Douadi, said the vessel had the capacity for 2,500 passengers. The owner's Web site said 387-foot-long boat had a capacity for 1,487 passengers and crew.

The Genoa-based Italian Naval Registry, which has certified the ferry for safety since its construction in 1970, said the vessel never had any problems and passed its last structural inspection in June 2005.

In 1991, the registry oversaw the construction of two additional decks on the ferry to add passenger space for its then-owner, the Italian ferry company Tirrenia di Navigazione SpA. In doing so, the boat grew in height, and to compensate engineers also enlarged the base, said the registry's spokesman, Mario Dogliana.

First confirmation of the sinking came when another ship owned by the same company received a distress call from one of the lifeboats, Ismail said.

A ship owned by the same company, also carrying pilgrims, collided with a cargo ship at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal in October, causing a stampede among passengers trying to escape the sinking ship. Two people were killed and 40 injured.